Vehicle designer

ABSTRACT

A board game for developing skills in the functional and ornamental design of a land vehicle and land vehicle systems comprising an assortment of tiles magnetically retained to a board, having images of portions of a vehicle, for creating alternate vehicle designs that share common tiles, a board for assembling an arrangement of some of the tiles to images of vehicles that share common files and a design aid for creating a new ornamental and functional vehicle design comprised of a reference underlay for defining a minimum envelope for circumscribing a vehicle design.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to board games and more particularly to a boardgame for developing skills in creating functional and ornamental landvehicle designs.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Board games exist in which pieces form structures, such as houses, onboards or simulate a process. They are games of chance whose outcomesdepend on throws of dice or rotations of spinners. None develop skillsin creating functional and ornamental vehicle designs. Twining, U.S.Pat. No. 2,506,184 and Zelazny, U.S. Pat. No. 4,179,128 are exemplary ofthe board games of chance.

Twining U.S. Pat. No. 2,506,184 discloses a board game in which boardsand pieces that have images of parts of homes and garages aredistributed to players. The pieces are placed on individual boards untila pointer points to an image on a spinner that cannot be played. Thefirst player to place all of his pieces on his board wins the game.

Zelazny U.S. Pat. No. 4,179,128 discloses a board game in which playerscompete to maximize profits. A board is divided into areas thatcorrespond to phases of a project, such as an apartment building orparking garage. The phases represent phases of construction (excavation,structural steel work, etc.), define the costs of the phases anddetermine profit and loss. Generic icons are advanced on the boardaccording to a throw of a dice. A game is ended when all projects arecompleted or a time has expired. The player with the most money at theend of a game wins. Neither Twining nor Zelazny teach skills in the artof functional and vehicle ornamental design.

A proficient vehicle designer must have knowledge of subjects that areindirectly related to vehicle design. He must be familiar with theattributes of vehicle systems including their function, environmentaleffects, government regulations and industry practices that affectvehicle design. In many cases, he will be directed to modify anornamental vehicle design or to change its function by developing aderivative model, e.g., a convertible, cross-over vehicle or mini van,that shares common parts.

Vehicle manufacturers divide vehicles into systems and sub-systems, forexample, body, engine, transmission and suspension systems andsub-systems such as instrument panels, underbodies, hoods, fenders androofs.

Vehicle systems and sub-systems must provide space for a driver,passengers, engine, fuel tank and cargo. They must conform to governmentstandards, e.g. the bumper height standard; they must not conflict withthe environment, e.g. ground clearance; and must meet a purchaser'srequirements, e.g. comfort, cargo space, unobstructed driver vision andvehicle ingress and egress. The designer must be aware of vehiclesystems and sub-systems and meet these requirements.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide an entertaining gamefor children and adults. Another object is to inform how the ornamentaland functional designs of a land vehicle or land vehicle system areinfluenced by factors as the environment, functional and governmentmandated requirements. Another object is to provide a design aid for newand attractive ornamental land vehicle designs and land vehicle systems.

With the foregoing objects in mind, a board game is provided that iscomprised of one or more game boards; an assortment of tiles thatcontain images of portions of land vehicles or land vehicle systems; areference underlay that defines a minimum envelope for an ornamentalland vehicle design; a writing instrument such as a soft pencil or finetip marker; sheets of semi-transparent paper and a releasable means forretaining the tiles on the game board.

By assembling tiles on the game board, a player gains an understandingof how derivative models, such as sedans, cross-over vehicles andconvertibles that share common parts can be derived from a land vehicle.A reference underlay is provided for creating entirely new ornamentaland functional vehicle designs.

One feature of the invention is that it applies to commercial as well aspassenger land vehicles and land vehicle systems such as engines,transmissions and suspensions.

In employing the teaching of the present invention, a plurality ofalternate constructions can be provided to achieve the desired resultsand capabilities. In this disclosure, only several embodiments arepresented for the purpose of disclosing our invention. However, theseembodiments are intended as examples only and should not be consideredas limiting the scope of our invention.

The foregoing features, benefits, objects and best mode of practicingthe invention as well as additional benefits and objects will becomeapparent from the ensuing detailed description of a preferred embodimentand the subject matter in which exclusive property rights are claimed isset forth in the numbered claims which are appended to the detaileddescription of the preferred embodiment.

Further features and benefits will become apparent by reference to thedrawings and ensuing detailed description of a preferred embodiment thatdiscloses the best mode contemplated in carrying out the invention. Theexclusive rights that are claimed are set forth in each of the numberedclaims following the detailed description of the preferred embodiment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be better understood and further objects,characterizing features, details and advantages thereof will appear moreclearly with reference to the diagrammatic drawings illustrating apresently preferred specific embodiment of the invention by way ofnon-limiting example only.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a game board and a group of tiles mounted onthe board.

FIG. 2 is-a left side view of the FIG. 1 board and tiles.

FIG. 3 is a tilted left hand view of the FIG. 1 board and tiles.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of one of the tiles taken onthe line 4-4 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment ofthe tile taken on the line 4-4 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the board shown in FIG. 1 without the tiles.

FIG. 7 is a left side view of the FIG. 6 board.

FIG. 8 shows the FIG. 6 board in a tilted position with a vehicleassembled with the tiles of FIG. 1.

FIG. 9 is a left side view of the FIG. 8 board and vehicle.

FIG. 10 is a reference underlay for an ornamental and functional designof a vehicle.

FIG. 11 is a left side view of the reference underlay.

FIG. 12 is a plan view of a board for creating a new vehicle design.

FIG. 13 is a left side view of the FIG. 12 board.

FIG. 14 is a front view of a foldable game board.

FIG. 15 is a plan view of the FIG. 14 game board.

FIG. 16 shows a half portion of the FIG. 14 game board tilted upwardly.

FIG. 17 is a plan view of a second folded game board.

FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 18-18 in FIG. 17.

FIG. 19 is an alternate embodiment of a game board according to theinvention.

FIG. 20 is a left side view of a pick-up truck.

FIG. 21 is a left side view of an extended cab derivative of the pick-uptruck of FIG. 20.

FIG. 22 is a left side view of a panel delivery truck derivative of thepick-up truck of FIG. 20.

FIG. 23 is a board and tiles for developing skills for an ornamental andfunctional design of a vehicle instrument and control system.

FIG. 24 is a left side view of the FIG. 23 board and tiles.

FIG. 25 is a reference underlay for designing a vehicle instrument andcontrol system.

FIG. 26 is a left end view of the FIG. 25 reference underlay.

FIG. 27 is a board and arrangement of tiles for a vehicle instrument andcontrol system.

FIG. 28 is a left side view of the FIG. 27 board and arrangement oftiles.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawings wherein like numerals designate like andcorresponding parts throughout the several views, in FIG. 1 a board game30 is shown comprised of a random assortment of tiles 31 that haveimages of portions of vehicles and a game board 32. Although only asmall number of tiles 31 are shown for the purpose of describing ourinvention, it is our intention to provide a small number of tiles inboard games for young children and larger number of tiles in board gamesfor adults and older children. One feature of the invention 30 is thatthe tiles 31 can be combined in various ways to create ornamentalvehicle designs and models that share common tiles. Another feature ofthe tiles 31 is that they may differ in color as well as image.

Another feature of our invention is that the tiles 31 are releasablyretained to the board 32. Several ways are available for releasablyretaining the tiles 31 to the board 32. A preferred way is tomagnetically retain the tiles 31. Another way is to retain them with areleasable adhesive. Several ways are available for magneticallyretaining the tiles 31 to the board 32. One way is to make the board 32and tiles 31 from a material with finely dispersed magnetic particles.

The tiles 31 may be made entirely from magnetic material such as asingle magnetic layer 33, as shown in FIG. 4 or a lower magnetic layer34 joined to a non-magnetic upper base layer 35, as shown in FIG. 5. Asshown in FIG. 2, for the board a magnetic layer 36 is an upper layer anda non-magnetic layer 37 is a base layer. Magnetic coatings are availablewhich can be used instead of a magnetic sheet material.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a pair of legs 38 is pivotally mounted tocorners of the board 32. The legs 38, which are optional, are used totilt the board 32 as shown in FIG. 3.

With reference to FIG. 6, reference marks 39 may be provided on theboard 32 to locate a vehicle on the board 32. The reference marks 39consist of a horizontal ground line 40 and centerlines 41 for locatingapertures 42 in front 43 and rear 44 wheels. In FIG. 8 a 4-door sedan 45is shown which has been assembled on the board 32 from the tiles 31 ofFIG. 1. The ornamental design of the vehicle 45 can be changed byreplacing the roof 46, front fenders 47, rear fenders 48, and/or thewheels 49 with the roof 50, front fenders 51, rear fenders 52 and wheels53 of FIG. 1.

Referring now to FIGS. 10 through 14, a design aid 54 is shown forcreating new ornamental and functional designs. The design aid 54 iscomprised of a reference underlay 55 which defines a minimum envelope 56for an ornamental design, a drawing board 57, a usual writing instrumentsuch as a soft pencil or fine tip marker (not shown), and usualtransparent or semi-transparent paper, commonly referred to as vellum(not shown). The reference underlay 55 is preferably a sheet of paperthat is retained in a frame 59 of the drawing board 57. The frame 59also locates the transparent paper on the board 57. The referenceunderlay 55 may also be on a sheet of magnetic paper retained to amagnetic drawing board 57. New ornamental designs are created by placingthe transparent or semi-transparent sheet over the reference underlay 55and covering the reference underlay 55 with the new design.

With reference to FIGS. 14 through 16, an embodiment 60 is shown inwhich two half boards 61, 62 are joined together to form a foldableboard. At the center of one of the half boards 61, a leg 63 is pivotallyattached to the underside of the half board 61. As shown in FIG. 16,when the leg 63 is rotated away from the half board 61, a free edge 64of the half board 61 is raised to tilt the half board 61 about an axis65 that lays in the junction of the half boards 61, 62. When the halfboard 61 is not tilted, the leg 63 is stored against the half board 61and retained with a pair of facing magnets 62 on the leg 63 and halfboard 61.

In FIGS. 17 and 18, a folded board 67 is shown that is comprised of ahalf board 68 magnetically retaining a random assortment of tiles joinedto half board 70 for forming a vehicle image with an assembly of some ofthe tiles and for retaining a reference underlay.

In FIG. 19 a board game 71 is shown that is comprised of a foldableboard 72, an assortment of tiles 73 mounted on a first half portion 74of the foldable board 72 and an image of a truck 75 on a second halfportion 76 of the foldable board 72 from an arrangement of the tiles 73,according to the present invention. FIGS. 20, 21 and 22 are exemplary ofthree commercial vehicles, i.e. a standard pick-up truck 77, extendedcab pick-up truck 78, and panel delivery pick-up truck 79 that sharecommon parts.

With reference to FIGS. 23 through 28, a board game 80 and an assortmentof tiles 81 are shown for developing skills in creating functional andornamental designs of a vehicle instrument and control system. In FIGS.25 and 26 a reference underlay 83 is shown for positioning theinstruments and controls. The reference underlay 83 establishes amaximum envelope for locating the instruments and controls. In FIGS. 27and 28 are shown a board 84 and a design 85 which was created with theassistance of the reference underlay of FIGS. 23 and 24.

Although only several embodiments of our invention have been illustratedand described, it is obvious that other embodiments can be provided bychanges that are obvious to persons skilled in the art such as changesor substitutions of material and shape without departing from the spiritthereof.

1. A board game for developing skills in the functional and ornamentaldesign of a land vehicle or land vehicle system, comprising: anassortment of tiles, said tiles having images of portions of a vehiclefor creating alternate vehicle designs that share common tiles; a boardfor mounting said tiles; and a means for retaining said tiles on saidboard.
 2. The board game recited in claim 1 wherein said land vehicle isa passenger car.
 3. The board game recited in claim 1 wherein said landvehicle is a commercial vehicle.
 4. The board game recited in claim 1wherein said means is a magnetic means.
 5. The board game recited inclaim 4 wherein said magnetic means is comprised of magnetic tiles and amagnetic board.
 6. The board game recited in claim 5 wherein each ofsaid magnetic tiles is comprised of an upper base layer and a lowermagnetic layer.
 7. The board game recited in claim 5 wherein each ofsaid magnetic tiles is comprised of a base layer and a magnetic coatingon a bottom surface of said base layer.
 8. The board game recited inclaim 1 wherein said board is a foldable board comprised of a first halfportion for randomly retaining said assortment of tiles and a secondhalf portion for assembling and retaining some of said tiles.
 9. Theboard game recited in claim 8 further comprising a leg having an endportion pivotally attached to a lower portion of said second halfportion for raising a rear portion of said second half portion upwardlywhen said leg is rotated away from said second half portion and amagnetic means for retaining said leg against said second half portionwhen said leg is adjacent to said second half portion.
 10. The boardgame recited in claim 1 further comprising a reference underlay fordefining a minimum envelope that an ornamental vehicle design mustcircumscribe.
 11. The board game recited in claim 10 wherein saidreference underlay is a thin sheet and said board game further comprisesa board for supporting said reference underlay.
 12. The board gamerecited in claim 11 wherein said board has a frame for locating saidreference underlay on said frame.
 13. The board game recited in claim 11wherein said reference underlay is magnetically retained to said board.14. The board game recited in claim 1 further comprising a set ofreference marks on said board for locating said tiles.
 15. The boardgame recited in claim 14 wherein said reference marks are comprised of aground line and center marks for location apertures in centers of frontand rear vehicle wheels.
 16. A board game for developing skills in thefunctional and ornamental design of a land vehicle or land vehiclesystem, comprising: an assortment of tiles, said tiles having images ofportions of a vehicle for creating alternate vehicle designs that sharecommon tiles; a folded board for mounting said tiles, said board havinga first half portion for retaining said tiles, said first half portionhaving a leg for tilting the rear of said first half portion upwardlyand a second half portion joined to said first half portion forassembling an arrangement of some of said tiles to create an image, saidsecond half portion having a set of reference marks for locating saidimage of said vehicle; a magnetic means for retaining said tiles to saidfirst and second folded board half portions.
 17. The board game recitedin claim 16 wherein said land vehicle is a passenger vehicle.
 18. Theboard game recited in claim 16 wherein said land vehicle is a commercialtruck.
 19. The board game recited in claim 16 wherein said image is animage of a vehicle instrument panel.
 20. A board game for developingskills in the functional and ornamental design of a land vehicle or landvehicle system, comprising: an assortment of tiles, said tiles havingimages of portions of a vehicle for creating alternate vehicle designsthat share common tiles; a board for assembling an arrangement of someof said tiles to create images of vehicles that share common files; ameans for retaining said tiles to said board; and a design aid forcreating a new ornamental and functional vehicle design, said design aidcomprised of a reference underlay for defining a minimum envelope forcircumscribing said vehicle design; a sheet of semi-transparent ortransparent paper over said reference underlay; and a drawing implementto create said new ornamental and functional design on saidsemi-transparent or transparent paper.